Dreaming of that glittering Super Bowl Halftime stage, where you can strut your stuff in front of, oh, just a casual 100 million people? Well, here’s the thing: forget practicing your high notes, your moonwalk, or memorizing the lyrics to your own songs (those might still help, though). What you really need is to have one Mr. Jay-Z bopping his head to your tunes.
Jesse Collins, the wizard behind the curtain who has been producing the Halftime show for years, spilled the beans like someone who just tripped over a giant bowl of salsa. Turns out, Jay-Z is the one with the magic wand—or iPod shuffle—and gets to pick which artist gets the golden ticket to perform in front of the world.
In a very serious interview with Variety, Jesse shared the biggest secret in showbiz: “It’s Jay’s decision,” he said, possibly while wearing shades and sipping something fancy. “Ever since we teamed up, he’s been making the call each year. And guess what? He’s nailed it every single time! Not to brag, but, like, kinda to brag.”
Now, let’s dive into the juicy stuff—the Lil Wayne vs. Kendrick Lamar controversy. Yep, apparently, there were some out there feeling personally offended that Lil Wayne wasn’t handed a mic and a spotlight. But Jesse addressed the drama with the calm of someone who regularly navigates diva tantrums and wardrobe malfunctions.
“We love Wayne!” Jesse reassured the world, probably while dodging flying rumors and Vegas bets. “But hey, Vegas odds on the Halftime performer are like predicting who’s going to marry a Kardashian next—it’s anyone’s guess. But Kendrick’s going to blow everyone’s minds. I mean, it’s Kendrick. He’ll probably bring so much fire, the pyrotechnics will be like, ‘Okay, we can chill now.’”
If you want to be part of the most-watched concert on Earth, start sending Jay-Z some Spotify playlists. Maybe throw in a few subtle compliments about Beyoncé while you’re at it—you know, just to be safe.